Machine Embroidery Tips

This section is intended for you if you’re looking for tips and suggestions about machine embroidery.

I have been doing machine embroidery since 1993, but my experience with “home machines” is limited to the two machines I’ve had during that time: a 4×4 Bernina Deco, and a 6×10 Brother ULT2001. I have loved both machines and used them extensively. Recently, however, my beloved Brother ULT2001 stopped working, so I bought a 15-needle Ricoma machine!

When I got my first machine, I bought it from a local dealer. I received not only free lessons on using the machine but also a ready resource for questions and tips on using the machine. It was in the early days of machine embroidery when most designs were purchased on cards that went into the machine and fit into a 4″x4″ hoop.

Not too long after that, designers started selling designs that could be downloaded from the internet and then loaded onto a blank card – the same kind that embroidery designs came on. But to use these blank cards, I had to have a reader/writer box with software to transfer the designs. I invested in PE Design Version 1.0 for this purpose. Since I had the software, I also dabbled in modifying designs and digitizing small things, but never really ventured into designing things on my own.

Fast forward to the present – there are a lot of people on Facebook and other places who have questions about machine embroidery. I’d like to share the few things that I’ve learned over the years, and to start a dialog on what works best for people who have been at it a while, and for those just starting out. I do not necessarily endorse any specific manufacturer or supplier; I’m just sharing what has worked for me.